Thread: Little tree removal job I did today

Little tree removal job this AM. Exclusive gated golf course community. Owner is removing the two trees & all plants around trees & lava rock. Going to remove the island also and put in a palm tree & grass.

Called me yesterday wanting a quote to remove the two trees. Got there and he wanted a price to remove everything. I quoted my hourly rate+hauling debris away+stump grinder rental. He wanted a "fixed" price instead and I quoted him $2,500.

Then he wanted a quote just to remove the two trees & I said $450. He called me shortly there after & hired me to remove trees. Brought my big ole 18' tandem & backed up to trees and used my Stihl Kombi 110R & dropped most of the limbs directly into the trailer.

Job took 1.45 hours. Another (1) hr in driving, So 2.45 hrs total. easy $ and nice lil pile of firewood I'll use this fall.

The client's neighbor saw a timberland rattle snake across the street last week & the client hates snakes and was afraid ole snake would crawl in bushes & bite someone lol. Snakes are rare around here except for a few garden snakes I see every now and then and are harmless. I caught a corn snake in my yard last yr & its the first in fifteen yrs I've seen a snake on my property.

Client said he was tired of trimming the bushes & there was another of that tree on other side but it died. Had holly, yaupon holly & Indian Hawthorne & lirupetalum bushes in the middle. Quite alot of bushes for client to keep up on his own.

Client's wife paid me, Said she was highly impressed that I showed up (as I said I would) and did the job quickly. Lol- she called me at 9 am this morning & asked when I was coming and I said, "Maam, I'm outside getting ready to cut up the trees"!" Said her hubby would be telling everyone about me

Been working there for years & these folks have lots of $ & very nice lawns/landscaping.

I could of prob charged more for the trees but being able to back in over the bushes & dropping limbs into trailer, I knew it'd be a easy/quick job. I could of dropped trees, then winched them on to trailer & cut em up also and saved more time.

Client called to thank me for doing a great job. Originally he told me his brother would do everything-remove all bushes, lava rock, the mound, grind stumps etc.

They dug up all bushes except for the holly as seen in pic below. They dug up the "easy" plants lol. Now he wants me to give a quote to remove everything including the mound of dirt & grind out stumps. Wants a fixed price. Removing the mound of dirt is going to be a pain in the ass. There is a sprinkler system in the mound I'll have to cap off somehow. I bet the client has no idea where the sprinkler pipes are. I can get the holly out with a sawzall.

Figure up your hours spent x your hourly rate. I wouldn't hit them with the same price again, I think it's rude. Sure, it's a pita that they are jerking you around a little, but they are the ones paying you. As you stated before, you made good money the first time. Price it so that you make good money this time too. I would probably charge about $1000 and 2 of my guys would have it done before lunch. Throw in sod installation quote for another $800 or so.